Whole Heart, Whole Horse: Building Trust Between Horse and Rider
by Mark Rashid
Nonfiction
* * * * * Stars (Amazing!)
Mark Rashid is world renowned horse trainer who is gifted in understanding the “horse’s point of view.” Whole Heart, Whole Horse collects some of his anecdotes about the horses and humans who have passed through his life, as well as some of his early experiences with “the old man,” whom he credits with teaching him much of what he’s learned. He has a lot of insights to share, and does so in a lovely, narrative way, where you feel like he’s just telling you stories. It’s beautiful. Fans of James Herriot’s style may enjoy this as well. Some good takeaways are that horses express what they are feeling physically and emotionally and these are a package deal. What we call their “behavior” and label “good” or “bad” is just information they are expressing about how they feel, and we can use that information to understand them better. Horses, like people, can store trauma in their bodies, and sometimes they need to just RUN to work through that. And the folks working with horses need to be aware of what they are telling them consciously and unconsciously with their energy, and body language, because people are often tuned into different things. Lots to think about and appreciate in these stories. For teens and adults.
Reviewed by YA Librarian
